Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by Max Lucado from his book, How Happiness Happens (p. 62). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Ok, so what do we need and ultimatum on?   What is it? Max says, “Oh, the ‘rages’ that rage through people: road rage, airline passenger rage, cell phone rage, checkout rage, social media rage, sideline rage, parking lot rage, car alarm rage, and even rage from drivers who honk at people on crutches.” He goes on, “Social media takes rage to a new level. The online banter blisters and bruises. Words we might never say to a person’s face, we feel safe to post on the internet. Rudeness has reached the point where we can all relate to the sign I saw in a medical lab: ‘If you are grouchy, rude, impatient, or inconsiderate, there will be a $10 charge just for putting up with you.’ “Yes, a tariff on tackiness has its appeal. A more practical response might be the one suggested by the apostle Paul: ‘Greet o...

A thought by Max Lucado from his book, How Happiness Happens (p. 51). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) We all know that to be true, or do we? Max says, “If your happiness depends on the applause and approval of others, you’ll yo-yo up and down, based on the fickle opinion of people. If noticed, you’ll strut. If unnoticed, you’ll grumble. “Our generation’s fascination with social media has taken addiction to adulation to a whole new level. We measure success in ‘likes,’ ‘retweets,’ ‘thumbs-up,’ and ‘friends.’ Self-images rise and fall upon the whim of clicks and Facebook entries. Social media is social comparison on steroids! Does it make sense to hinge your joy on the unpredictable reactions and reviews of people you may not even know?” Max gives a personal example, “A Christian conference was being held in our city. One of the keynote speakers canceled at the eleventh hour. I received a call from the ...

A thought by Max Lucado from his book, How Happiness Happens (p. 34). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) That is so true, isn’t it? Max says, “By the way, don’t people bear with you? The next time you find it difficult to live with others, imagine what it is like to live with you.” And that is also very true, isn’t it? Later he says, “We have eagle-eye vision when it comes to others but can be blind as moles when we examine ourselves. Were we to be honest, brutally honest, don’t we spend more time trying to fix others than we should? Don’t we have more expertise on the faults of our friends than the faults of ourselves? “We tend to be like the fellow on the interstate. As he was driving, he received a call from his wife. She was panicked. ‘Honey, be careful. I just heard on the radio that some fellow is traveling down the highway on the wrong side of the road!’ “The husband’s reply was equally urg...

A thought by Max Lucado from his book, How Happiness Happens (p. 31). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I’m sure you have some things that really get to you, don’t you? Max says, “If only people would stop behaving like people. If only people would wear deodorant, use mouthwash, close their mouths when they chew, quiet their screaming babies, and clean up their trashy lawns.” He goes on, “There is a way the world should run. And when others behave in ways we don’t like, we call that a pet peeve. Not a colossal divide or hostile rivalry or legal violation. Just a pet peeve. A pet (smallish, personal, individual) peeve (quirk, peculiarity). A pet peeve.” But later he says, “Joy is such a precious commodity. Why squander it on a quibble? “The phrases we use regarding our pet peeves reveal the person who actually suffers. He ‘gets under my skin’ or ‘gets on my nerves,’ or she is such a ‘pain in my neck.’...